Old House Floor Sagging

And not all structural problems are that big a deal.

Old house floor sagging.

Here s a quick review of the most common problems and a few of the typical remedies. That house has a structural problem. Well after doing the navy seal crawl up under the house we found that the joists that were supporting that floor were not actually attached to the sill plate any longer as seen in the photograph below. The sagging floor was the symptom and somewhere under the house there had to be a cause.

Foundation repairs are the most expensive reason for sagging floors in old houses. One of the most common complaints of old house owners is sagging floors. Over time the dirt your house sits atop can compact causing the foundation to sink. Old houses often have floors that are less than perfect.

In my own house for example every floor pitches toward the center stairwell. Sagging floors a common problem in old homes have many potential causes. I can tell that without even seeing it from the description. Some are serious structural issues that require the attention of a contractor while others are more routine cosmetic problems that you can solve yourself if you re a fairly advanced do it yourselfer.

Some homeowners when confronted with staggering bills for floor repairs come to terms with their floors. Floors out of level windows and doors sticking or not closing properly bouncy floors or floors that sag in spots in a room. The average person can sense if a floor slopes 1 inch in 10 feet and sloping floors or sagging floors are often one of the warning signs that structural engineers look for when analyzing a house. Minor workarounds are possible such as leveling individual elements within the floor tables armoires cabinets etc.

There are lots of clues that indicate structural problems in a house. Even historic houses have saggy sloping floors. Although generally only an annoyance sagging floors can be an indication of worsening problems. Although most floors slope it is important to know how much and why.